Kanye West - Yeezus

While certainly aware of Kanye and the music of his that makes it to the radio, I've never actually sat down and listened to an album. This one seemed like a good enough place to start. A ridiculous album title with ridiculous song titles. But it's only 10 songs long (I appreciate getting to the point). It's also interesting to note that each of the 10 songs have about 10 songwriters and 10 producers each. I know hip-hop has always been a collaborative genre, but damn... And I don't have to be judgmental at all on the over-the-top 'Ye megalomaniacal persona. If the music's good, fuck it. But... is it?

It kicks off with raucous beats. Daft Punk are big contributors to this record, so we are either treated to loud buzzy electro-synth. Or loud buzzy beats. Or both. "Black Skinhead" has that Gary Glitter "Rock And Roll" beat- I was half expecting the Black Keys to riff a guitar and a da-da-da background vocal. And with a title with as strong a politcal-racial imagery as "Black Skinhead"- it's really nothing more than a general rap boast.

Also nothing incendiary in the lyric to "I Am A God". What he could have made could have been awesome and offensive as Kanye is off-the-mic. But no, in this track, he seems to be making of himself and his level of celebrity.

I am a God
So hurry up with my damn massage

In a French ass restaurant
Hurry up with my damn croissants

Apparently all of that broken-heart, dead-mom self-reflection is behind him. "New Slaves" does tough have something more socially significant. And it's good and fine, Kanye's still a great rapper. But I feel like if a guy is going to put himself in such a self-important pedestal, he should be doing something important. I think one of the best raps on the album is a straight-up filth track called "I'm In It", where he recalls Martin Luther King's "free at last" speech to eloquently describe exposed titties.

So, maybe this writer wanted more dark twisted fantasy and instead got a lot of real-life-my-dick-goes-into-a-lot-of-places themes. It was still a fun collection. And I should've really been less hopeful about an album whose main inspiration was a lamp. (No... really.) (3 of 5 stars)